Press release
Minister O’Donovan launches WorldSkills Ireland 2024
From Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Patrick O’Donovan has today launched WorldSkills Ireland 2024.
Minister O’Donovan said:
“Once again Worldskills Ireland will celebrate the best of Irish skills opportunities, with competitors from up to 30 disciplines showcasing the best of their skills and professions.
“It is a brilliant opportunity for young people from all over the country to explore the variety of skills based career paths available to them, from traditional fields, like construction and mechanics, to newer areas, such as financial services, green skills and retrofitting.
“I hear consistent messages from employers in areas of skills demand, so it’s great to see events like Worldskills returning, benefitting both students and employers from across Ireland.”
Minister O’Donovan spoke to an audience made up of WorldSkills Ireland sponsors, stakeholders, exhibitors, previous WorldSkills Ireland competition winners and representatives from various educational bodies, including the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, Techno Teachers and Educational Magazine.
This year’s free-to-attend WorldSkills Ireland event will be running concurrently with The Irish Times Higher Options event at RDS, Simmonscourt, Dublin, from 25-27 September 2024. The WorldSkills Ireland event is Ireland’s largest coming together of second level students across the country.
The central focus of the WorldSkills Ireland event is to highlight the power of skills competitions as a promotional instrument for a skilled future, and the innovative nature of further and higher education programmes.
Chair of WorldSkills Ireland Ray English said:
“We are delighted again to present to 30,000 students and visitors the chance to see the full range of career and educational opportunities at Ireland's largest skills show.
“Employers will get the chance to attract career seekers to their sectors across ICT, Social and Personal Services, Manufacturing and Construction, Transport and Logistics, whilst all education and training providers are showcasing the many and varied routes through education to a lifelong career.”
WorldSkills is also aimed at changing negative perceptions around Apprenticeships and a skills-based career. It educates students, teachers, guidance counsellors and especially parents and guardians about the variety of opportunities available to young people in Ireland.
WorldSkills Ireland 2024 will showcase the ever-growing range of skills careers and Apprenticeships in Ireland and inspire today’s youth to investigate the multiple career pathways available now through Further Education, Apprenticeships and Higher Education.
Those who register for WorldSkills Ireland 2024 will get the chance to test careers with employer based “Try A Skill” interactive tasks, experience career and education spotlight talks, engage with employers in recruitment, and see regional opportunities available from the 16 Education and Training Boards, Technological Universities, Universities, and Apprenticeship Consortium Employers. WorldSkills Ireland 2024 will also showcase for students the use of AI and Virtual Reality Education through the Further Education and Training Village, and the latest sustainable and green technologies with industry showcases.
The support of the main sponsors, John Sisk and Sons, CIF, Bus Éireann-Dublin Bus, ESB Networks, Autodesk and other sector sponsors such as Fáilte Ireland, VW group, Unilin, and Mitsubishi Electric Ireland among so many others, is welcome.
Minister O’Donovan added his encouragement to parents and guardians to attend WorldSkills Ireland 2024 to understand the wide variety of skills pathways and careers available to their children.
Those wishing to attend are encouraged to register here: World Skills Ireland (registrationdesk.ie).
The WorldSkills Ireland organisation is a partnership between enterprise, industry, education, training and government that raises the profile and recognition of skills and Apprenticeships, and prepares the talent of today for the careers of the future.
WorldSkills Ireland has organised the IrelandSkills National Competition on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills, and now the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, every year since its establishment and has competed at all of the WorldSkills International competitions since 1956.
Founded in 1950, WorldSkills International is a global organisation that promotes vocational, technological, and service oriented education and training.
It promotes skilled careers in 89 member countries and regions across the globe, all working with youth, educators, governments and industries to help prepare the workforce and talent of today for the jobs of the future.
WorldSkills gives youth the chance to compete, experience and learn how to become the best in their skill of choice in the Olympics of Skills.
WorldSkills International holds a biannual general congress, combined with a competition for the winners of the various member nations’ national events. This year, this is being held in Lyon.
At WorldSkills Ireland 2024, there will be up to 30 competitions in Construction, Hospitality and Tourism, Transport and Logistics, Manufacturing and Engineering, Information and Communications Technology, and Health and Personal Services.
New competitions in 2024 may include 3D Digital Game Art, Agricultural Mechanics, Health Service Practitioner, Additive Manufacturing and Robotic Systems Integration.
Based on attendance from the previous two years (16,000 in 2022 and 24,000 in 2023), it is hoped that there will be more than 30,000 students attending the WorldSkills Ireland event this year.